Barber treats staff to Sweeney Todd showing

IT'S a cut-throat world in hairdressing, but top Midland barber Antony Kent knows exactly how to bring the best out of his staff.

IT'S a cut-throat world in hairdressing, but top Midland barber Antony Kent knows exactly how to bring the best out of his staff.

Antony is forking out hundreds of pounds to treat his 75-strong workforce to a night out at the cinema to watch the exploits of demon barber Sweeney Todd.

Antony, who with his wife Patricia owns 16 Kents Hairdressers and UK Barbers salons across the region, believes the movie about the notorious early 19th century killer will make a great training film.

He has offered to pick up the bill for staff to go along to their local cinema to see the newly-released film, starring Hollywood heart-throb Johnny Depp as the barber who slits customers' throats as they sit in his chair for a shave.

The musical, which has won the 2008 Golden Globe for Best Picture, also stars Helena BonhamCarter as Mrs Lovett the pastry shop owner who turns Todd's dead victims into meat pies, Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen.

And it was an instant hit with Antony's own customers when he started playing excerpts down-loaded from the internet.

"They thought it was really funny to be watching a film like that while sitting in a barber's chair," said Antony, whose company is the UK's biggest independent chain of barber's shops.

"It was their obvious enjoyment of the situation which gave me the idea of inviting all my stylists to go to the cinema to see it.

"What I am hoping is that it will remind staff that whenever customers walk through our door, they are not only coming to us for a haircut.

"Many also want to have a chat about what is happening in the world and many more want to have a laugh and a joke.

"For some, particularly if they are pensioners, having a haircut may be one of the few times they get out to meet other people.

"So while our stylists are watching Sweeney Todd, I want them to remember what a laugh it caused in one of our salons and that they have a duty to keep our customers entertained as well as immaculately groomed.

"It would also be a good thing if the film reminded them never to treat our clients like Sweeney Todd treated his, although there is not much danger of that because we do not do shaves at the moment."

Kents Hairdressers was first launched more than 70 years ago by Antony's grandfather, Vic Kent, with a single salon in Yardley, Birmingham. ..SUPL: